Summer Associate Class of 2016 Forum

[Anonymous User]

Working in IP group of big law firm and I have done several formal and informal memos, deposition prep and created the deposition outline, prior art searching, making infringement claim charts, created a case archive, and now I am writing the first draft of a small-ish brief. Every assignment I have done has seemed like real work . . . but every firm is different! At my 1L SA position I wrote 7 memos and 1 brief for a motion all summer and that was it.

[Anonymous User]

So what exactly is "good work?" I hear that phrase being grown around a lot but then I also hear that SAs are going to make mistakes and shouldn't necessarily be driven to be perfect. So does "good work" mean you didn't make any mistakes, made some mistakes but generally okay work, etc. Any thoughts?

[El Pollito]

So what exactly is "good work?" I hear that phrase being grown around a lot but then I also hear that SAs are going to make mistakes and shouldn't necessarily be driven to be perfect. So does "good work" mean you didn't make any mistakes, made some mistakes but generally okay work, etc. Any thoughts?

mistakes are fine as long as they don't add up to sloppiness

as a summer, good work probably means semi-usable work product that doesn't require an associate to waste a lot of time redoing the work

[lavarman84]

So what exactly is "good work?" I hear that phrase being grown around a lot but then I also hear that SAs are going to make mistakes and shouldn't necessarily be driven to be perfect. So does "good work" mean you didn't make any mistakes, made some mistakes but generally okay work, etc. Any thoughts?

mistakes are fine as long as they don't add up to sloppiness

as a summer, good work probably means semi-usable work product that doesn't require an associate to waste a lot of time redoing the work

That just sounds impossible.

[hairbear7]

When are offers usually made? Last week of work? After you leave?

[cannibal ox]

in b4 "depends on the firm"

[Serett]

"depends on the firm"

[Avian]

When are offers usually made? Last week of work? After you leave?

Ask an associate how your firm does it.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

I don't think it was a big secret that we were all getting offers (not a big class) but the "official" offer didn't come until the last day where we met with the hiring partner, got our last review, and were asked to rank practice groups and then got a verbal offer. Formal written offer was given a little later.

[hairbear7]

haha alright, thanks!

[Londonbear]

Is it just me or is it actually exhausting getting home at 11-midnight every weekday after eating and drinking a ridiculous amount that you constantly feel sick so you basically never do any work?

[Johann]

Ok I nailed 1L but I'm quite bad at doing real work help fast

I haven't been chewed out or anything but why do I suck and will I get better with time?

What's the problem?

Pathern I respect was just really disappointed that I used a casual tone on an internal memo (using "we/us" instead of referring directly to our client) and some imprecise pronoun usage. I also thought that I was supposed to restrict my research to mandatory authority, but was wrong. Pathern not mad, just disappointed.

I don't have problems with like bigger picture legal analysis/argument structure in the memo, but I have a bunch of attention to detail fails. In retrospect, I didn't take the memo as seriously as I should have because I figured since it's not going to a client, it's not that important.

This is the first actual feedback I've had on a research memo so I'll just fix it in the future, but yeah idk it seems like the response to the stuff I've done is a consistent .

Re: work product, I've had internal research memos, drafting a trial outline (for a slam dunk case), draft a low-important demand letter, and gonna draft a very low-importance patent application in the next couple days. Case summary too. I have yet to have proofread assignments or do clerical stuff. I guess that's one of the benefits of small-biglaw? (150-200 attorneys). I get more stuff to do. I mean all my final work product is either inconsequential or will be heavily edited, but it's a useful exercise I suppose.

This is totally normal. I made the same mistakes with the casual tone and have a few other things to work on. Nobody ever acted disappointed, though. They just gave me the good and the bad. You shouldn't be surprised. You're going to make mistakes. You're new to this. Just make sure you're improving and implementing the suggestions they make.

[Serett]

Is it just me or is it actually exhausting getting home at 11-midnight every weekday after eating and drinking a ridiculous amount that you constantly feel sick so you basically never do any work?

I don't know, I usually get home at 6.

[lavarman84]

Is it just me or is it actually exhausting getting home at 11-midnight every weekday after eating and drinking a ridiculous amount that you constantly feel sick so you basically never do any work?

I don't know, I usually get home at 6.

I could see how that would be exhausting. Right now, I'm exhausted because I have a lot on my plate and I hate waking up at 6 AM.

[RaceJudicata]

Is it just me or is it actually exhausting getting home at 11-midnight every weekday after eating and drinking a ridiculous amount that you constantly feel sick so you basically never do any work?

I don't know, I usually get home at 6.

I could see how that would be exhausting. Right now, I'm exhausted because I have a lot on my plate and I hate waking up at 6 AM.

Drink less? Still go to events/happy hours/etc, just consume less alcohol. I promise, you aren't gonna get a gold star for drinking the most.

[SplitMyPants]

Is it just me or is it actually exhausting getting home at 11-midnight every weekday after eating and drinking a ridiculous amount that you constantly feel sick so you basically never do any work?

I don't know, I usually get home at 6.

I could see how that would be exhausting. Right now, I'm exhausted because I have a lot on my plate and I hate waking up at 6 AM.

Drink less? Still go to events/happy hours/etc, just consume less alcohol. I promise, you aren't gonna get a gold star for drinking the most.

thats like turning down free money

[Ken Kesey]

Is it just me or is it actually exhausting getting home at 11-midnight every weekday after eating and drinking a ridiculous amount that you constantly feel sick so you basically never do any work?

I don't know, I usually get home at 6.

I could see how that would be exhausting. Right now, I'm exhausted because I have a lot on my plate and I hate waking up at 6 AM.

Drink less? Still go to events/happy hours/etc, just consume less alcohol. I promise, you aren't gonna get a gold star for drinking the most.

thats like turning down free money

Seconded. Was very hungover at work Today, but boy did I get a fair share of that free money.

[Anonymous User]

No one else worried the Brexit will fuck us over?

[Anonymous User]

No one else worried the Brexit will fuck us over?

Words from a partner's mouth today at lunch: "It would hurt us a lot, too."

[Anonymous User]

Anyone else starting to hate practice?

I mean some of the work is interesting, but always worrying about how someone will perceive your work is exhausting. I hate the feeling of just being in limbo.

[lavarman84]

Anyone else starting to hate practice?

I mean some of the work is interesting, but always worrying about how someone will perceive your work is exhausting. I hate the feeling of just being in limbo.

Billable hours scare me. I've been swamped this week but I'm only billing like 8 hours a day. Which is basically what you have to bill to hit your hours as an associate. It's sobering to realize that. Because I feel like I have way too much work but it's actually the appropriate amount.

I hope it gets less overwhelming with experience.

[PennBull]

Anyone else starting to hate practice?

I mean some of the work is interesting, but always worrying about how someone will perceive your work is exhausting. I hate the feeling of just being in limbo.

How you handle fucking up and taking it in stride is one of the main tenets of not hating biglaw. I stressed out a lot when I started while my work product was being reviewed but now I know it's mostly positive and any negative shit is my fault or a learning experience. It's whatever.

[Anonymous User]

Is it just me or is it actually exhausting getting home at 11-midnight every weekday after eating and drinking a ridiculous amount that you constantly feel sick so you basically never do any work?

Oh my god, yes. I am not complaining but I have never felt worse in my life! I feel sick all the time.

Not meant to be anon btw.

[Anonymous User]

I don't have any work right now, I haven't asked for feedback from people I did work with, they said it's pretty good, but no actual come back of assignment anymore. I had a hectic first week before, but things are slowing down to the point I'm on TLS during work hours.

[Anonymous User]

I'm in same boat. At beginning of SA had a lot of work, but as summer progressed, practice group has gotten busier and with only 5 weeks left of SA they aren't giving me much to do.